Pete bit back a snort.
Case in point.
Dipping your pen in company ink never resulted in anything good. But why would the sweet photographer mess with Cole’s partner? Everyone at the PD knew Jared was a flavour-of-the-week kind of guy. Marion had always given off the impression of innocence.
“Neil, I’m done in here,” Marion said, purposefully looking away from the dark-haired detective.
Shaking his head, Pete glanced at Neil. “Sarge said there didn’t appear to be blood spatter on Nikki or Mrs Jenkins, but you might want to do a once-over.”
“Already on it. There was nothing to collect, but the bedframe and spatter on the sheets clearly show direction of the fire.” Neil turned his body towards the door and gestured away from the window.
Marion shoved her camera in the bag and hefted an evidence case. “I’ll do the boot imprints and get some pics outside.”
“Where’s Chuck?” Pete asked, speaking of the third—absent—member of their team.
“At the lab. He was in the middle of something, so I told him to stay there,” Neil said.
“I’ll help out any way I can,” Jared said.
The pretty photographer harrumphed on her way out of the room.
Pete smirked and Jared winced, but Neil didn’t seem to notice.
“I’m gonna talk to Nikki and her grandmother, then we need to hit the hospital.”
Jared nodded. “Sounds good.”
Sergeant Stein was talking to Nikki when Pete returned to the hallway. Chloe made eye contact with him before he reached the two women.
“I’m going to see who saw what,” she said. “Let you know what I find out.”
“Thanks,” Pete said.
Nikki offered a wobbly smile when their gazes met.
“Relax,” he said. “Just talk to me like you’d tell your best friend what happened.”
“I hate to sound like a cliché, but it happened so fast.” She shook her head, scrunching up her nose.
He wanted to reach out to her, reassure her, but he made himself stand still, prove his attentive police professionalism. Andi always had him talk to witnesses first. She said he was better at it. Calmer. She considered herself too insistent.
“What do you remember?” Pete asked gently.
“Dark clothes. Two handguns. I don’t know what kind, I’m sorry. They were loud. And big.”
“It’s okay. I wouldn’t expect you to recognise the guns.”
She made a face, looking away. “I work in a police department, you’d think something woulda stuck.”
Pete grabbed her hand and squeezed, smiling slightly.
Nikki’s brown eyes widened, but she didn’t pull away.
Good.
After the small touch, he wanted to hold onto her. “It’s fine. Just tell me as much as you can, all right?”
She sucked in a breath. Her full breasts rose and fell and it took all he was made of to
not
stare there. “Oh, no,” she whispered.
“What is it?”
“You’re using that tone…” Nikki closed her eyes.
He frowned. “What tone?”
“That ‘
You’re-a-witness-and-I-can’t-see-into-your-head’
tone. Coaxing, candy-from-a-baby stuff.”
Pete laughed, he couldn’t help it. He wanted to kiss her hand or hug her. “Well, darlin’, you are a witness.”
Nikki’s eyes locked onto his face and she paled. “Oh. God.
I am
.”
She wavered on her feet and he caught her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pinning her to his side. “Jared! A chair. Quick.”
Jared dashed to grab a seat from down the hall, but not before Pete felt Nikki’s side against his ribs, the curve of her perfect ass against his thigh. She was warm and supple. He wanted to turn her in his arms, pull her close and take her mouth.
Knock it off. She works for your boss. More than that, she’s a witness in your new case.
Pete rested his hands on her shoulders after he pressed her into the chair. He couldn’t pull away just yet. Not until he knew she was all right.
She stared up at him, expression lost. Nikki trembled beneath his grip.
“I’ll get her some water,” Jared said, disappearing towards the nurses’ station.
“Take a breath. You’re okay,” Pete said.
Nikki nodded. Her tongue darted out to moisten her full bottom lip and his mouth went dry.
Tearing his gaze away, he made himself meet her eyes—and keep his gaze there.
Your mind out of the gutter would be good, too.
“Better?” he asked, but it was more of a croak.
“I think so,” she breathed.
Taking a step back, Pete forced his hands to his sides.
Jared arrived with a paper cup. He pressed it into Nikki’s palm and she muttered thanks as she took a sip.
“I’m gonna wrap up with Neil,” Jared said, thumbing towards the room. He didn’t wait for Pete or Nikki to answer him.
“Let me know when you’re ready to talk,” Pete said. Experience had taught him the less pressure, the better. It made witnesses remember more, helped them open up.
Once again she nodded, but she wrapped both hands around the paper cup and held it for dear life. “I’m okay, really.”
“Good. Slow and easy, just talk to me.”
Nikki cleared her throat. “Gram and I were talking to Maria after she’d given Gram her evening meds. These men rushed in and there was a burst of light in the hallway—that’s what caught my attention even before I heard the gunshot. Maria dropped like a sack of potatoes. Then they were gone. In a black Hummer.”
“A Hummer? Did you catch a plate or see any distinguishing marks?”
“I didn’t see a plate, but it was a full-sized one. Not the H2 or the smallest one. There were two guys in here and one in the car.”
“Oh?”
“When they jumped out the window, they both got in the back. The car took off even before the doors were closed.”
“Did you get a good look at either of them?”
Sorrow crossed her face and Pete’s stomach fluttered.
“Not really. They were both tall, wore dark clothing. Olive complexions. Italian or Hispanic, I guess. One had short dark hair, the other dark and a little shaggy, longer. Both had sunglasses on.”
“Did they say anything?”
“No. Not a word. Came in shooting.” Nikki sighed.
Pete squeezed her shoulder. “You did good.”
Her expression said she disagreed, but she didn’t comment. “They must’ve sat outside for over an hour.”
“How do you know that?”
“After I picked our dinner up from Dixie’s, they cut me off on Stewart, tearing out of Marty’s parking lot like a bat out of hell. Then I saw them sitting on the side of the road when I pulled in here. Had they not almost hit me, I probably wouldn’t have noticed, big black Hummer or not.”
“Hmmm…” He and Jared would have to stop by the store and see if there were surveillance cameras. Or see if anyone remembered the Hummer or one of its occupants—at least
three
assailants.
“I wish I’d seen something else…”
“You did great. Honestly. Better than most. You knew what to look for.”
“Thanks. I feel useless.”
“You’re far from useless.” Pete smiled, looking down into her gorgeous face. Damn, he wanted to kiss her. Locking his jaw, he bit back a curse.
What is wrong with you?
Shifting on his feet, he cleared his throat. “At any point, did they threaten you or your grandmother?”
Nikki frowned, shaking her head. “They didn’t say anything. Stormed into the room, shot Maria, blew out the window and then they were gone. They didn’t even look at me or Gram.”
“Okay.”
“Damn. It’s like some mob hit, or something,” she whispered.
A hit.
Sergeant Stein had said the same thing. Who would want to kill a rehab nurse? Why?
“Is she going to make it? She has two little girls. Oh… God…” Nikki rocked in the plastic chair, her eyes shiny.
Pete’s heart dropped to his stomach and he squatted in front of her, taking both her hands in his just as her first tear coursed down her cheek. “Don’t cry. Nikki, it’ll be all right,” he whispered.
Before he realised what he was doing, Pete straightened, pulling her to her feet and into his arms. Fitting her against him was natural—even if only for comfort.
Nikki wrapped her arms around him without hesitation and buried her face against his neck. She sniffled. Her warm breath tickled the skin above the collar of his button-down and a tremor shot down his spine.
He rubbed her back in large circles. Warning bells went off in his head, but he ignored them, even though he was holding her more like a lover than a witness.
Close. Inappropriate.
She lifted her head and their gazes locked.
Pete promptly slipped into her wide brown eyes.
Liquid mocha.
She swallowed and he wanted to kiss her throat.
His eyes slid to her mouth.
Plump. Inviting.
Pete needed to taste her.
Right. Now.
He bent his head down.
Nikki’s lips parted, that pink tongue making another appearance. But she didn’t pull away. If anything, she tilted her face up. Moved closer.
Pete’s warning bells blared into full-blown tornado sirens, but when Nikki closed her eyes and brushed her mouth against his, he soundproofed his conscience and took her mouth.
Sweet.
Damn, she was sweet. Ripe raspberries or something sugary.
More.
Deepening the kiss, he pulled her even closer, aware of the tightening in his jeans and how his cock throbbed as her pelvis rubbed his. He rocked on his heels as Nikki wove her arms around his neck and kissed him harder. Their tongues duelled and danced, both of them pushing and pulling, giving and taking control. Sliding his hands down her back, he followed the curve of her shapely firm bottom, squeezing and kneading.
“Pete, we’re pretty much wrapped up. Neil said you can expect his report—”
Jared’s voice jolted him and Pete tore his mouth off Nikki’s. He met the guy’s dark eyes. The younger detective’s brows were arched as high as they could go. He froze in the doorway, one hand on the frame as if he had to brace himself.
It took all Pete was made of not to shove her away from him. Like they’d been caught doing something wrong.
You kissed her, idiot.
Very
wrong.
He ignored the voice that piped in with how
she’d
actually closed the distance between their mouths. Nikki had answered his first move.
Doesn’t matter. Still wrong. She’s a witness. Not to mention a co-worker. Your boss’s assistant.
Nikki slid from his arms and swiped at her damp cheeks. They were tinged pink, her lovely lips kiss-swollen, her loose red locks mussed. She averted her gaze, but she couldn’t seem to look at Jared either.
She’d kissed him. Kissed him. Why hadn’t she pulled away? Had she enjoyed it as much as he had?
Pete ignored his train of thought and cleared his throat. Banished her taste from his mind. Ignored how he could still feel her mouth against his. “Are you all right?” Forcing words out, he grabbed her hand and she glanced back at him. Touching her only made him want to drag her back into his arms and taste her again. Hold her. Then take her home. Keep her with him. For her own safety, of course.
She nodded. “I should go check on Gram.”
“We need to get to the hospital,” Jared said, taking his blue booties off.
“Yeah. We…need to go,” Pete croaked.
Nikki nodded, her teeth sinking into that full bottom lip.
He bit back a groan and jerked his eyes away.
Unprofessional loser.
“Did you get everything you needed?” Nikki asked. Her voice was steady. She’d pulled herself together admirably.
Which is more than you can say for yourself. Grow a pair, will ya?
Jared snorted, but Pete disregarded him.
No.
“Yes. Take care of your grandma. If you need anything, you call me, okay?” Pete said, clearing his throat.
“I will. Have a good night,” Nikki whispered.
After muttering an appropriate farewell, Pete couldn’t unglue his eyes from her hips, swaying gently as she disappeared down the hallway.
Jared punched him in the arm.
Glaring, Pete jumped, but amusement flashed across the other detective’s eyes.
“Did you get everything you needed?” Jared asked, smirking.
At least there was no judgement in the guy’s expression. Damn good thing Jared didn’t have the balls to mention what he’d witnessed. Hell, knowing Jared, he thought they were already screwing.
Pete wasn’t about to confirm or deny.
“Shut up.”
Chapter Six
Nikki traced her lips with her fingertip. “Talk about out of the blue,” she whispered, rounding the corner towards Gram’s new room.
Detective Pete Crane had kissed her.
Kissed her.
She’d kissed him back. Fervently. Begging him with her mouth for more.
Crazy. Right?
She could still taste him. Feel the pleasant brush of his stubble against her cheeks. Smell the woodsy scent of his cologne.
Over the two years she’d worked for Chief Martin at Antioch Police Department, Pete had only spoken to her a handful of times. Only the ‘
Hi-how-are-ya’
variety. Nothing more.
Why
had Pete kissed her? Why had it been so natural to kiss him back? Nikki hadn’t questioned it.
The shaking in her limbs had ceased the moment his strong arms had encircled her. Warm. Safe. She could have burrowed into him and stayed there all night.
Done more than just kiss him.
His body was lean muscle, hard in all the right places. Had made her feel wanted. Especially a certain part of him. He’d been aroused. After only one kiss. For her.
Her body had answered. Warmth had spread down her limbs, settling low in her belly. Even now she ached in places that had been awakened.
Sucking in a breath, Nikki forced herself to calm down, but her heart galloped. A man hadn’t enflamed her with just a kiss like that…ever.
“He was trying to comfort you. That’s all.”
Bull.
She couldn’t even convince herself. Comfort from a friend—a professional one—didn’t come in the form of a toe-curling kiss.
Not that she regretted it. She didn’t. She’d kiss Pete again. In less than a heartbeat.
A tremor that had nothing to do with the evening’s trauma shot down her spine and Nikki swallowed hard.